7132 Therme

Vals, in the canton of Graubünden, is home to a very special place: the 7132 Therme. Designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, these thermal baths are much more than just a place to relax. They are a major work of architecture, fashioned from the raw stone of the Alpine landscape. Made up of 60,000 blocks of local quartzite, stacked with almost ceremonial precision, the thermal baths are perfectly integrated into the mountain, at once sober and spectacular.

Natural light, filtered through the openings in the building, plays a central role. It changes throughout the day, revealing the textures of the stone, modifying the ambience and accompanying each act of relaxation. Inside, the contrast between the mineral mass and the softness of the thermal water at 30°C creates a unique sensory experience. There is a succession of pools: a flower bath, a sound grotto, a fire bath, an ice bath, a steam bath and a mineral fountain. Each area has its own atmosphere, between enveloping warmth and invigorating freshness.

Classified as a historic monument shortly after its opening, it was the first Swiss building to receive such an honour in his lifetime. Peter Zumthor won the Pritzker Prize for this project, considered a masterpiece of Alpine minimalism. The 7132 Therme cannot be visited, it must be experienced, like an intimate and deeply sensory retreat.